One of my favorite West Wing scenes.


10:00 am, Election Day. People on Jed Bartlet’s staff are acting and talking like they’ve already won.  

SAM:  We won. We don't have to pander.
TOBY:  Please don't say that. I'm not kidding.
CJ:  What are you babbling about?
TOBY:  We haven't won anything yet.
CJ: The speech is done.
TOBY:  Two speeches are done.
CJ:  What's the second?
TOBY:  I've got a speech if he wins. I've got a speech if he doesn't.
SAM:  You wrote a concession?
TOBY:  Of course I wrote a concession. You want to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?
SAM:  No …
TOBY:  Then go outside, turn around three times, and spit. What the hell’s the matter with you?
SAM:  It's, like, 25 degrees outside.
TOBY:  Go!

Sam sits down. Josh enters.

JOSH:  Hello.
CJ (mockingly):  Oh, Mr. Lyman, I see your picture in the magazine. Tell me, if I swallow my ballot …
JOSH:  A little Election Day humor. That’s great. I enjoyed that.
SAM:  He wrote a concession speech.
JOSH:  Of course, he wrote a concession speech. Why wouldn't he? What possible reason would he have for not writing a concession speech?
SAM:  The wrath from high atop the thing.
TOBY:  He up and said we were gonna …
JOSH:  No! You gotta go outside, turn around three times, and curse.
TOBY:  Spit.
JOSH:  Spit and curse.
TOBY:  Do everything. Go!
JOSH:  Go!

Sam flees to go outside.  After a few minutes he returns.

CJ:  You can't be too careful.
SAM:  I think you can.


 


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